1. Field
The present invention relates generally to fishing equipment and more particularly to surf casting equipment.
2. Prior Art
Predominantly, surf casting is accomplished using commonly available fishing poles and reels. The reel contains fishing line which is wound about the reel. The free end of the fishing line is passed through an eyelet at the end of the pole that is positioned away from the fisherman and this end of the line is usually attached to a weight. To cast the line, the end of the pole away from the fisherman is whipped and the weight at the end of the line is thrown out towards the sea, pulling the fishing line along with it. As line is pulled by the weight, the reel must unwind to release sufficient line to follow the weight. Otherwise the reel will cause the flight of the weight to be foreshortened and the casting distance to be reduced from what it potentially could be.
The axis of the reel is normally positioned orthogonally to the direction in which the weight was cast, requiring the line on the reel to be unwound from the reel turn by turn. That is, the reel must revolve at a speed which will release line as fast as the weight on the end of the line is traveling. This conventional method of releasing the line from the reel puts a practical limit on the speed of release of the line as the reels can only unwind at a limited top speed consistent with the rotational moment of the reel, the capacity of the reel bearings and the ability of the line to pass about at least one, and usually more, eyelet's on the pole. The line must unwind and pass through the eyelet's without becoming permanently stretched, bound, tangled or otherwise damaged. The practical limits to the speed of conventional reels and the whipping action of conventional poles generally limits the distance reached with typical casting equipment to about one hundred feet. If a greater casting range could be achieved, a greater fishing area would be available along with a greater variety and quantity of fish.